Device for squeezing tubes of paste

ABSTRACT

A device for squeezing the contents from tubes of paste including a mandrel about which a tube is wound to expel the contents therefrom. A frame is provided for rotatably supporting the mandrel so that the mandrel is rotated when an actuating member is rotated via drive and clutch springs which cooperates with the mandrel and the actuating member. A pressure member is supported in a position in advance of the mandrel so that when the mandrel is rotated, the tube will be pressed against the pressure member to thereby assist in squeezing the contents from the tube. Upon release of the squeezing pressure of the pressure member on the tube, the tube casing relaxes to thereby create a suction force for forcing the paste proximate the opening of the tube back into the tube.

Unite States Patent 1 Leeson 51 Apr. 29, 1975 [76] Inventor: GeorgeJoseph William Leeson, 86

Caroline St., South Yara, Victoria, Australia, 3141 22 Filed: June4,1973

21 App1.No.:366,976

[52] US. Cl 222/100; 222/105 [51] Int. Cl. B65d 35/34 [58] Field ofSearch 222/100, 99, 97, 98, 101, 222/391, 336, 102, 95; 192/415, 12 BA[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,578 7/1934 Tulin222/100 X 2,104,954 1/1938 Stanton 1 222/100 2,542,571 2/1951 Rakestraw222/100 2,570,204 10/1951 Cambell, Sr. 229/98 X 2,639,059 5/1953Durham... 222/98 3,006,508 10/1961 Preidel 222/98 3,327,825 6/1967 Fann192/12 BA X 3,365,956 1/1968 Koch 192/12 BA 3,378,123 4/1968 Papa, Jr192/12 BA X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 589.176 12/1959 Canada222/99 373,804 8/1939 ltaly 222/102 Primary E.\aminerRobert B. ReevesAssistant E.taminerChar1es A. Marmor Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman,Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A device for squeezing the contents fromtubes of paste including a mandrel about which a tube is wound to expelthe contents therefrom. A frame is provided for rotatably supporting themandrel so that the mandrel is rotated when an actuating member isrotated via drive and clutch springs which cooperates with the mandreland the actuating member. A pressure member is supported in a positionin advance of the mandrel so that when the mandre1 is rotated, the tubewill be pressed against the pressure member to thereby assist insqueezing the contents from the tube. Upon release of the squeezingpressure of the pressure member on the tube, the tube casing relaxes tothereby create a suction force for forcing the paste proximate theopening of the tube back into the tube.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR SQUEEZING TUBES F PASTE Thisinvention relates to a device for squeezing the contents from tubes ofpaste, and more particularly relates to a device which squeezes thebottom portion of the tube forcing the contents towards, and outwardlythrough, the outlet of the tube.

The invention is particularly applicable to squeezing toothpaste fromtubes therefor.

Many devices have been produced for squeezing toothpaste from tubes,however, one disadvantage with the known devices is the tendency tosqueeze too much, or too little, paste, from the tube during anyparticular actuation of the device, while after the squeezing pressureis released, pressure built up within the contents of the tube tends tocause a small amount of paste to exhaust through the outlet of the tubeif the closure is not applied to the tube immediately after use.

It may therefore be an object of the present invention to provide adevice for squeezing the contents from tubes of paste, including acontrol mechanism whereby at each actuation of the device apredetermined quantity of paste will be squeezed from the tube.

The invention may therefore envisage a device for squeezing the contentsfrom tubes of paste, including a mandrel or key about which, in use, atube is wound to expel the contents therefrom, means rotatablysupporting the mandrel, actuating means for rotating said mandrel, andcombined drive and clutch means cooperating with said mandrel and saidactuating means to allow only a predetermined amount of rotation of saidmandrel each time the device is actuated.

By limiting the amount of rotation of the mandrel to a particular valueeach time the device is actuated, the amount of paste expelled from thetube will be substantially constant.

Preferably the combined drive and clutch means includes a stop meanscooperating with said actuating means for limiting the amount ofmovement thereof and thus the amount of rotation transmitted to saidmandrel.

Preferably the combined drive and clutch means includes a drive coilspring looped around said end of said mandrel having one free endretained by said actuating means which when rotated in one directioncauses said spring to tighten about said end of said mandrel to impartrotational movement thereto, and whereby upon reversal of said actuatingmeans said spring releases its grip on said end of said mandrel to allowrotation of said spring and actuating means about said mandrel.

Preferably the stop means is a lug fixed with respect to said supportingmeans, and said actuating means includes a slot of predetermined lengthadapted to receive said lug.

Preferably said slot is provided in the circumferential edge of a flangeprovided on, and integral with, said actuating means and surroundingsaid mandrel.

Preferably a holding coil spring is provided between said mandrel and asleeve also surrounding said mandrel, said holding coil spring having afree end retained by said sleeve, whereby operation of said actuatingmeans and transmission of rotation to said mandrel, said mandrel is freeto rotate within and relative to said sleeve, but upon return rotationof said actuating means in the opposite direction said holding coilspring will tighten about said mandrel to hold it fixed with respect tosaid supporting means via said sleeve.

Preferably a return spring is provided between said actuating means andsaid sleeve to allow rotation of said actuating means in the oppositedirection after actuation of said device to return said actuating meansto its original position.

Preferably the means supporting said mandrel includes a pair ofupstanding support walls spaced apart from each other and includingholes therethrough for supporting said mandrel at a pair of spacedpositions adjacent opposed ends thereof.

Preferably the mandrel is adapted to be slid axially into position insaid support walls to be releasably retained therein.

Preferably the mandrel is releasably retained by means of a resilienttab on the end of said mandrel remote from said actuating means whichcooperates with one of said holes in said support walls.

Preferably the pressure member is a pressure bar fixedly supported bysaid pair of supporting walls in said position in advance of saidmandrel to extend parallel therewith.

Preferably the upstanding support members are interconnected by abridging portion formed integrally therewith which bridging portionincludes provision for attaching said device to a flat surface.

The provision for attachment may be holes for receiving screws, bolts orthe like. Alternatively the provision for attachment may be by means ofan adhesive pad of the type where a cover strip is removed initially toreveal an adhesive surface for attachment to a horizontal or verticalsurface.

One form of the invention which may be preferred will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of this preferred form of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view in the direction of arrows 22 of FIG.1,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 33 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 44 of FIG. 1, but alsoshowing a tube of paste in the device,

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view in the direction of arrows 55 of FIG.1,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is an exploded longitudinal view of the mandrel, drive, clutchand actuating means of this preferred embodiment, and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 6.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 to 5, the device generally indicatedas 10, includes a support body having a base portion 11 and a pair ofopposed upright support walls 12 and 13. the base portion 11 has appliedto its under surface an adhesive layer (not shown) for attaching thedevice to a flat surface such as a wall or bench top.

The provision for attachment may alternatively be a plurality of holes 5receiving attachment screws, bolts, or the like as illustrated in FIG.6.

Upstanding support wall 12 includes a hole 14 therethrough for receivingone end of a mandrel 15 to be later described. Upstanding support wall13 also includes a hole 16 therethrough for supporting the opposite endof the mandrel 15.

A pressure bar 17 is also provided between the side walls 12 and 13 andfixed with respect thereto. This pressure bar as will be evident fromlater description assists in supporting and guiding a tube of pastewhile it is being wound onto the mandrel 15 and applying pressurethereto to assist in squeezing the paste therefrom and due to itscooperation with the tube of paste allows for the creation of a pressurelower than atmospheric in the tube after release of the squeezingpressure.

The mandrel 15 is hollow for a large proportion of its length andincludes a longitudinally extending slot 18 communicating with theinterior of the mandrel l and opening through one end of the mandrel.The end of the slot opening through the end of the mandrel is widened at19 to allow the crimped end of a tube of paste to be slid axially intothe slot with the crimped end portion receive in the interior of thehollow mandrel l5. Rotation of the mandrel winds the tube about it andcauses the contents of the tube to be pushed towards, and outwardlythrough, the outlet from the tube at the top thereof.

To allow the mandrel to be withdrawn, so as to allow a tube to beinserted or removed, the mandrel is capable of being axially withdrawnfrom the supporting body. In order to allow the mandrel 15 to beretained in position in the supporting body against normal axial forcesduring operation, a small tab 20 is formed by providing an axiallyextending slit 21 in the end of the mandrel 15 adjacent the widenedentrance 19 to the slot 18. The tab is normally bent slightly radiallyoutwardly from the line of the surface of the mandrel 15 to prevent themandrel from being withdrawn unintentionally. The axial force applied toinsert or withdraw the mandrel forces the tab 20 into line with thesurface of the mandrel as it bears against the edge of the hole 14 inthe support wall 12.

The mandrel 15 is caused to rotate about its axis by means of anactuating member 22 connected via a combined drive and clutch mechanism23 (see FIG. 7) to a solid end portion 24 of the mandrel 15 (see FIG.7). The actuating member 22 includes an outwardly extending leverportion 25 and actuating button 27, with an inner portion 26 cooperatingwith the combined drive and clutch mechanism 23 and a flange portion 28housing the combined drive and clutch mechanism with an intervening step29 to enable gripping when the assembly is withdrawn from the device.

Referring particularly to FIG. 7, the combined drive and clutchmechanism 23 comprises a holding coil spring 30 adapted to be receivedaround the solid portion 24 of the mandrel 15, a holding sleeve 31having a longitudinal slot therein for receiving a free end 32 of theholding spring 30. The slot extends generally tangential to the innersurface of the sleeve 31 and the free end 32 of the spring 30 is doubledback to effectively cause the bulk of any forces applied to the springto be tensional forces rather than shear forces. The holding sleeve 31also includes a lug 33 adjacent one end for receipt within a notch 34 inthe hole 16 in the end wall 13 of the support body to hold the sleevefixed with respect to the support body.

The flange portion 28 of the actuating member 22 includes a notch 36(see FIG. 8) extending a short distance circumferentially around theflange 28 which in the assembled condition receives the lug 33 on theholding sleeve 31. The combined drive and clutch mechanism 23 alsoincludes a drive spring 37 also adapted to be received around the solidportion 24 of the mandrel 15. The drive spring 37 is received within theflange 28 of the actuating member 22, with the free end 38 of the spring37 received within a slot 35a in the inner wall of the inner portion 26of the actuating member 22 similar to the slot 35 in the holding sleeve31 with both the slot and free end being angled to apply tensionalrather than shear forces to the drive spring 37. When the unit isassembled, the lug 33 is received within the slot 36 in the flange 28 aspreviously mentioned and moves from one end thereof to the other, tothereby confine movement of the actuating member 22 to within the limitsof the length of the slot 36 thus confining the rotation of the mandrelto being within those limits.

Within the inner portion 26 of the actuating member 22 adjacent theouter end thereof there is provided a circumferentially extendingdeformable rib which engages in a corresponding notch 39 around the end24 of the mandrel 15 to hold the mandrel 15, actuating member 22 anddrive and clutch assembly 23, in the assembled condition and closing theend of inner portion of the actuating member 22 by the integral button40 on the end of the mandrel.

A return spring 41 is provided surrounding the drive spring 37 betweenthe holding sleeve 31 and the actuating member 22, and in the assembledcondition is within the flange portion 28 of the actuating member 22.The ends of the spring 41 are received in holes 42 and 43 in the holdingsleeve and member 22. The effect of the return spring 41 is that it willbecome tensional during actuating of the actuating member 22 whenrotating the mandrel 15, and upon release of the actuating member 22will serve to return the member to its normal position.

The operation of the device is as follows. With the lever of theactuating member 22 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, downwardmovement in the direction of arrow A causes the drive spring 37 to bedrawn tightly about the end portion 24 of the mandrel 15 to transmitdrive thereto. The slot 36 on the flange 28 of the actuating member 22is at the position shown in FIG. 8 with one end of the slot 36 adjacentthe lug 33 on the holding sleeve 31, and the actuating member 22 willcontinue imparting rotation to the mandrel until the other end of theslot contacts the lug 33 at which point, since the sleeve 31 is heldfixed with respect to the support body due to the receipt of the lug inthe notch 34, further rotation of the actuating member 22, and thus themandrel 15, is prevented.

Upon the release of pressure on the lever of the actuating member 22 itreturns under the action of the return spring 41 to its initial positionas shown, while the drive spring 37 releases its grip about the endportion 24 of the mandrel 15, allowing the drive spring 37 and theactuating member 22 to rotate relative to the mandrel 15. During thisreturn movement the mandrel is fixed with respect to the support body bymeans of the holding spring 30 which cooperates with the fixed holdingsleeve 31 and tightens around the end portion 24 of the mandrel 15 as ittends to move back with the actuating member 22, to thereby hold themandrel fixed relative to the support body during the return motion.

With particular reference to FIG. 4 which shows a tube of paste 44within the device for descriptive purposes, during each increment ofrotation of the mandrel the tube is wound about the mandrel 15. Thecombined action of winding onto the mandrel and the reaction pressure ofthe pressure bar 17 forces the contents from the tube 44. Upon releaseof the squeezing pressure a slight backlash in the mechanism of thedevice allows a release of some of the bearing pressure imposed by thepressure bar 17 thus relaxing the tube and producing some back pressurein the contents of the tube causing the portion of paste at the openingof the tube to be drawn back into the tube. This is of some advantage inpreventing direct exposure of the contents and eliminate the necessityto position the cap on the tube between uses. One particular alternativeto the use of a holding spring 30 may be the substitution of a racketand pawl arrangement.

The components of the device may be produced from any suitable metal orplastics materials, except for the driving spring 37, the holding spring30, and the return spring 41, which are of normal metal coil springmaterials.

I claim:

l. A device for squeezing the contents from tubes of 20 paste, includinga mandrel about which, in use, a tube is wound to expel contentstherefrom, means for rotatably supporting the mandrel, actuating meansfor rotating said mandrel, a drive spring positioned about said mandreland having a free end fixed with respect to said actuating means, saiddrive spring gripping and rotating said mandrel a predetermined amounteach time said actuating means is actuated, means for resetting saidactuating means by returning said actuating means and said drive springto their original positions after said actuating means is released, aholding spring also positioned about said mandrel and having a free endfixed with respect to said means for rotatably supporting said mandrel,said holding spring gripping said mandrel to restrain the mandrelagainst movement while said actuating means and said drive spring arebeing returned to their original positions, and a pressure member havinga curved surface at the point of engagement with the tube beingsupported at a position in advance of the mandrel wherein upon rotationof said mandrel to wind said tube thereabout the tube will be broughtinto pressure engagement with said pressure member but upon cessation ofsaid rotation of said mandrel the tube is free to tend to move away frompressure engagement with the pressure member and the tube casing is freeto relax to allow creation of a pressure lower than atmospheric pressurein said tube wherein a portion of the paste at the opening of said tubeis forced back into said tube under the action of the higher atmosphericpressure externally of said tube.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said resetting means includes a returnspring having one end secured to said actuating means and having asecond end fixed with respect to said means for rotatably supportingsaid mandrel.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising stop means cooperating withsaid actuating means for limiting the amount of movement of saidactuating means and thus the amount of rotation transmitted to saidmandrel.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said stop means is a lug fixed withrespect to said supporting means and wherein said actuating meansincludes a slot of predetermined length adapted to receive said lug, themovement of said actuating means being limited by the walls of said slotimpinging upon said lug.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means supporting saidmandrel includes a pair of upstanding support walls spaced apart fromeach other interconnected by a bridging portion which bridging portionincludes provision for attaching the device to a flat surface, andwherein said support walls include holes therethrough for supportingsaid mandrel at a pair of spaced positions adjacent opposed endsthereof, and wherein said mandrel is adapted to be slid axially intoposition in said support walls to be releasably retained therein.

6. A device claimed in claim 5, wherein the mandrel is releasablyretained by means of a resilient tab on the end of said mandrel remotefrom said actuating means which cooperates with one of said holes insaid support walls.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 13,880,328 DATED pril 9, 975

INVENTOR(S) 1 George Joseph William LEESON It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data August 11, 1972 Australia PB 0042 Signed and Scaled this Thim'eth Day Of January I979 DONALD W. BANNERRUTH (T. MASON Arresting Officer Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks

1. A device for squeezing the contents from tubes of paste, including amandrel about which, in use, a tube is wound to expel contentstherefrom, means for rotatably supporting the mandrel, actuating meansfor rotating said mandrel, a drive spring positioned about said mandreland having a free end fixed with respect to said actuating means, saiddrive spring gripping and rotating said mandrel a predetermined amounteach time said actuating means is actuated, means for resetting saidactuating means by returning said actuating means and said drive springto their original positions after said actuating means is released, aholding spring also positioned about said mandrel and having a free endfixed with respect to said means for rotatably supporting said mandrel,said holding spring gripping said mandrel to restrain the mandrelagainst movement while said actuating means and said drive spring arebeing returned to their original positions, and a pressure member havinga curved surface at the point of engagement with the tube beingsupported at a position in advance of the mandrel wherein upon rotationof said mandrel to wind said tube thereabout the tube will be broughtinto pressure engagement with said pressure member but upon cessation ofsaid rotation of said mandrel the tube is free to tend to move away frompressure engagement with the pressure member and the tube casing is freeto relax to allow creation of a pressure lower than atmospheric pressurein said tube wherein a portion of the paste at the opening of said tubeis forced back into said tube under the action of the higher atmosphericpressure externally of said tube.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein saidresetting means includes a return spring having one end secured to saidactuating menas and having a second end fixed with respect to said meansfor rotatably supporting said mandrel.
 3. The device of claim 2 furthercomprising stop means cooperating with said actuating means for limitingthe amount of movement of said actuating means and thus the amount ofrotation transmitted to said mandrel.
 4. The device of claim 3 whereinsaid stop means is a lug fixed with respect to said supporting means andwherein said actuating means includes a slot of predetermined lengthadapted to receive said lug, the movement of said actuating means beinglimited by the walls of said slot impinging upon said lug.
 5. A deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the means supporting said mandrelincludes a pair of upstanding support walls spaced apart from each otherinterconnected by a bridging portion which bridging portion includesprovision for attaching the device to a flat surface, and wherein saidsupport walls include holes therethrough for supporting said mandrel ata pair of spaced positions adjacent opposed ends thereof, and whereinsaid mandrel is adapted to be slid axially into position in said supportwalls to be releasably retained therein.
 6. A device as claimed in claim5, wherein the mandrel is releasably retained by means of a resilienttab on the end of said mandrel remote from said actuating means whichcooperates with one of said holes in said support walls.